Do you ever feel scattered and overwhelmed? Do you pray for focus to help you be more productive and less exhausted at the end of the day? Do you strive for that feeling of accomplishment with a satisfying moment so you can kick back and enjoy the feeling of a job well done? At that moment you may feel a little tired but you aren’t exhausted. You know that exhaustion that I’m talking about when even getting off the couch to go to your comfortable and welcoming bed is too much. Surely you deserve a good night’s sleep – don’t you?
So how can you enjoy the pleasure of a job well done? The magic word –FOCUS. Yes, we live in an ADD world – distractions are paramount. You actually need to develop the muscle to help create a clear, unadultereated focus if you are ever going to feel a sense of peace.
Lately I have been giving many of my clients the job of “detoxifying their minds”. Yes that’s right! Getting everything out of your head and onto paper. All the shoulds, wants, failures, disapointments. All of it! Put it right before your eyes to look at and face and then eliminate. This simple process not only cleanses the mind but also makes you feel a lot lighter. All you have to do is give yourself a ½ hour or so to start and then write – no edits – preferably handwritten, too. Allow yourself to be uncensored. The constant barrage of a continuous, unproductive loop of thoughts can drive us batty. It’s hard to create something new – new habits, patterns or thoughts -when our brain won’t stop re-treading the old worn-out pathway.
Now you have the opportunity to shed and then re-start – to create a New Story – A New Vision for yourself. As I heard the other day – “get out of the box so you can read the instructions”. Let yourself go.
Here are 4 more Tips on How to Detoxify Your Mind and Life:
#1 – De-Clutter. Too early for spring cleaning? Well not really. The cleaner, clearer and more organized your environment is the better you will feel. Your spirits will improve and so will your self esteem. The recent interest in the ancient art of placement called Feng Shu gives us the delightful tools of how to make our enviroment more beneficial and harmonious. From color, to texture, to size of a piece of furniture – it all has an impact on your wellbeing. Stuck energy – whether mental or physical, may very well be caused by improper placement of certain things in key areas in your home, office or yard. There are many books available on the subject if you want to learn more.
#2 – Get Support. Everyone needs help. If you have braved through endless hours of working on a project, going shopping for groceries, then making dinner, then the laundry, then back to the drawing board to finish your project way past midnight – you know what I’m talking about. If you find yourself working these kinds double or triple shifts at work and home –enroll your family. You know if you go around with this air of competence they’ll never know you need help. There is nothing wrong with you if you ask others to chip in. The secret is people love to contribute and feel a part of something. By your slowing down and saving your precious energy (and sanity) – others will step up to the plate and often do more (and a better) job than you could have imagined. You do not need to do everything all by yourself. Ask yourself – who is on your team?
#3 – Speak up. Ask for what you want and need. You may not feel comfortable doing this at first – but it’s like flexing a new muscle – you will get better over time. Declaring your wants proudly – first to yourself and then to others – is a sheer sign that you are taking good care of yourself. You are learning how to take a stand for yourself. And don’t think about this tactic as being a selfish one – far from the truth. Remember the basic instructions on a plane – you are the one who always gets the life vest 1st . You will be detoxifying yourself of the worn out idea that everyone’s priorities are more important than yours – throw that one out the window – quickly! You are important and you count.
#4 – Relinquish It. When it comes to your physical space – if you don’t plan to make a Vision Board Collage with that stack of magazines in the corner – get rid of them. And don’t fool yourself into thinking that you may actually have time to read them someday – just get rid of them. Or – how about your closet – well if this is too daunting hire a qualified De-Cluttering Genius or an Expert Image Consultant. They love their work and will help you become more objective about the things you can and can’t live without. This also goes for your kitchen. Eliminate all the sugar – yes all of it – you can do it! Because it’s not good for anyone, don’t try and convince yourself to keep it around because someone in your household loves it. Remember it’s not an ingredient that’s beneficial to anyone’s health.
